Does Tramadol show up on drug tests?

Tramadol won’t show up on a standard drug test. But Tramadol does show up on drug testing for prescription medications. More on the types of drug tests that might be used to detect tramadol here.

3
minute read

Yes – sort of.

While Tramadol isn’t going to show up on standard drug tests that, say, a new employer would usually have you take, Tramadol will show up on a toxicology screening specifically designed for prescription drug detection. More on drug testing for Tramadol here…but if we don’t answer your question, please leave it for us at the end.

Why order a drug test for tramadol?

There are a few different reasons why you might be tested for Tramadol. The first is medical.  Dangers of Tramadol including serious side effects, drug interactions, or overdose may require medical testing.  If you’re admitted to a hospital and they suspect an overdose or need to find out what medications you’re taking, they’ll run a screen. You might also need to be screened for legal purposes. For example, if you’ve been convicted of taking the pain medication to get high off Tramadol without medical supervision.  In other words, positive drug testing for Tramadol without a prescription puts you at risk of legal consequences.

Types of Tramadol drug tests

A blood test, Toxi-Lab A, can determine if there is Tramadol in your system or not. However, the test will not be able to show the level of the drug. The result will simply be a positive or negative. Tramadol can also be detected using special urine or hair tests, but there must be some reason or suspicion that Tramadol is in your system for these tests to be ordered.

Tramadol cutoff levels

In hair tests, Tramadol can be detected at low levels – those which would appear in normal use as prescribed by a doctor. In one study, a concentration as low as 0.176 ng/mg was enough to show up on the test. Anecdotal evidence suggests that urine tests are not as effective, since Tramadol leaves the system fairly quickly.

Positive drug testing for tramadol

If you have a prescription for Tramadol, it shouldn’t be a problem if it shows up on a drug test. If you test positive to Tramadol and you have a prescription for the drug, it should be easy enough to explain to employers, doctors, and anyone else who might request a drug test. However, in several states Tramadol is considered a controlled substance, so if you’re using it without a prescription, you may get into some legal trouble.

If you test positive and you’re using Tramadol illegally, there will likely be repercussions. The exact legal status of Tramadol depends on where you live, so if you’re concerned about it showing up on a drug test, find out what your local laws are.

Questions about Tramadol drug testing

Do you still have questions about Tramadol showing up on drug tests? Please leave us your questions about Tramadol drug testing here. We try to respond to all questions with a personal and prompt reply.

Reference Sources: Determination of tramadol in hair using solid phase extraction and GC-MS
NIH Clinical Center Test Guide
Missouri State Highway Patrol: Toxicology information
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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